With the up-coming general election on Thursday 4 July 2024 you might be wondering what assistance and support that there might be when casting your vote as a blind or partially sighted person.

Niki Nixon from the Electoral Commission gives RNIB connect Radio’s Toby Davey an overview of the voting process and how accessible the voting experience will be for blind and partially sighted people.

Niki and Toby started by chatting about the new photo ID that we all need to take with us and show to staff when we arrive at the polling station to cast our vote with Niki explaining the types of photo ID you can use, such as your passport, bus pass, blue badge, etc and how to apply for the free Voting Authority Certificate Photo document if you don’t have any form of photo ID which must be done by

Niki then talked about what to do if you are not on the Electoral Register to vote, other ways of voting including applying for a postal vote or a proxy vote.

Then to the assistance and support that will be on offer at your local polling station when you do cast your vote on Thursday 4 July 2024.

Those deadline dates are -
Registration to Vote by midnight on Tuesday 18 June 2024
Postal Vote by 5pm on Wednesday 19 June 2024
Proxy Vote by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024
Free Voting Authority Certificate Photo Document by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024

Useful links -
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk

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